Educational background

• Scientific Lycee, Bologna, 1987
• Laurea summa cum laude in Biology, July 1993 University of Bologna
• September 1993-July 2002 CNR-grants at the Institute of Biometeorology-CNR of Bologna
• March-November 1997 Visiting scientist at the Horticultural Crops Quality Laboratory (Prof. J. Cohen) and at the Climate Stress Laboratory, Agricultural Research Centre (Dr. J.P. Slovin) of the United States Department of Agriculture -USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA, within the project funded by USDA.
• July 2003, CNR-research award, participant at the CELTIC Project, EPA and NSF sponsored (USA), coordinated by Dr. Alex Guenther (NCAR, USA).
• ·August 2002 - present, Scientist at the Institute of Biometeorology-CNR of Bologna.
• November 2004 participation at the preliminary phase of MIRAGE project (http://mirage-mex.acd.ucar.edu/) , NCAR-ACD and Mexico City University funded, and coordinated by Dr. A. Guenther.
• March 2005- ESF-VOCBAS-( http://www.esf.org/esf_article.php?language=0&domain=3&activity=1&article=415&page=1036) research awarded short visit grant at CREAF (Center for Ecological Applications and Forestry Applications) Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Prof. Penuelas

Research experience:
She has specific experience in plant physiology and ecophysiology. She has extensive instrumental experience in analytical techniques including GC, GC-MS, HPLC. In particular she set up isotopic methods for studying and analyzing plant hormone physiology and biosynthesis, as well as analysis of plant VOC emission and of aroma compounds of fruits and fruit products using GC-MS. She set up a GCO (olfactometry) technique. Principally now she is involved in plant physiology and ecophysiological studies on volatile organic compound emission from vegetation at plant and ecosystem scale, and analytical and sensorial chemistry of aroma compounds for evaluation of the quality of fruit and fruit products. .She also study the effect of mycorrhizal fungi on plant physiology, biotic and abiotic stresses and their potential use as low chemical input technology.
Plant Species and plant product studied:
Garlic, Cucumber, Tomato, Myrtus, Artemisia, Pear, Apple, Olive, Mediterranean plant species, Essential oil of Lavandula, Olive oil.

Current research field of interest

Plant hormones
Mycorrhiza
AROMAcompounds and fruit quality
Atmosphere/biosphere exchange
Biogenic emission (VOC)
Global change.
Volatiles and plant/insect interactions
Quality of essential oils
Biomass energy

National Projects and collaborations

• Project CSS –2004-2007 funded by Emilia Romagna Region (Leg. 28/98): “Sustainable techniques for the development of olive culture in Emilia Romagna Region”.
• Project with and funded by Veneto Agricoltura (http://www.venetoagricoltura.org/) “Aromatic properties of Veneto Agricoltura selected clones of garlic obtained from mycorrhized plants”.
• MIUR-FISR Carboitaly project (http://www.miur.it/0006Menu_C/0012Docume/0015Atti_M/4665FISR___cf3.htm) innovative instruments for the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol: Italian measurement network & national prediction system of forest and agricultural carbon sink and national-scale assessment of productivity and carbon sequestration of Italian forests.
• Project “SEEDOIL: Environmental sustainability and Energetic Efficiency of energy production from rapeoil plants in Sardinia Region". P.O.R. Sardinia Region 2000 – 2006, “Research and technological development of Companies and the territory” .

Selected publications
·    Rapparini F., Baraldi R. and Bertazza G. 1996. Growth and carbohydrate status of Pyrus communis L. plantlets inoculated with Glomus sp. Agronomie16: 653-661.
·    Rapparini F., Rotondi A. and Baraldi R. 1999. Blue light regulation of the growth of Prunus persica plantlets in a long term experiment: morphological and histological observation. Trees Structure and Function14: 169-176.
·    Rapparini F., Y.Y. Tam, J. Cohen, and J. Slovin. 2002. Indole-3-acetic acid metabolism in Lemna gibba undergoes dynamic changes in response to growth temperature. Plant Physiology 128:1-7.
·    Rapparini F. and Rotondi A. 2002. Volatile compounds analysis in virgin oil by dynamic headspace method, preliminary results. Acta Horticulturae 586: 695-697.
·    Predieri S. Dris R., Sekse L. and F. Rapparini. 2003. Influence of:environmental factors and orchard management on  yield and quality of sweet cherry. Food, Agriculture & Environment, vol. 2: 263-266.
·    Rapparini F. and S. Predieri. 2003. Pear Fruit Volatiles. Horticultural Reviews, Edited by Jules Janick (ISBN 0-471-21542-2)vol. 28: 237-324.
·    Baraldi R., Rapparini F., Oechel W. C., Hastings S. J., Bryant P., Cheng Y. & Miglietta F. 2004. Monoterpene emission responses to elevated CO2 in a Mediterranean-type ecosystem. New Phytologist  161: 17-21.
·    Rapparini F., Baraldi R., Miglietta F. & Loreto F. 2004. Isoprenoid emission in trees of Quercus pubescens and Quercus ilex with lifetime exposure to naturally high CO2 environment. Plant Cell & Environment 27 (4): 381-391.
·    Ciccioli P., Baraldi R., Mannozzi M., Rapparini F., Nardino M., Miglietta F., Brancaleoni E., Frattoni M. 2004. Emission and flux of terpenoids released from the terrestrial ecosystems present in the Pianosa island. J. Medit. Ecology 5(1): 41-51
·    Baraldi R., Rapparini F., Facini O., Spano D., Duce P. 2006. Isoprenoid emissions and physiological activities of Mediterranean macchia vegetation under field conditions. J. Medit. Ecology 6(1):3-9